


You Know Red Roses are the Flowers of Love?

by fanfiction_fanfriction



Category: Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter RPF
Genre: Falling In Love, Flowers, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Homophobic Language, M/M, Nervousness, Nice Michael, Roses, Self-Harm, Shyness, florist!Joel, that's all in the past though
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-17
Updated: 2014-09-17
Packaged: 2018-02-17 17:15:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,137
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2317160
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fanfiction_fanfriction/pseuds/fanfiction_fanfriction
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Joel is a florist, and the brightest part of his job is when once in a while a costumer by the name Ray. He wants to ask him out, but he can't, all he can do is keep selling him those roses. Maybe it'll take a push from Joel's co-workers and Ray's friend to get them to finally get the question out.</p>
            </blockquote>





	You Know Red Roses are the Flowers of Love?

**Author's Note:**

> In honor of Joel Heyman's 43 birthday and Ray Narvaez Jr's 25 birthday, I wrote this fic! I decided against smut because I stumbled across an amazing idea and I couldn't pass up the offer.

Joel leans against the countertop, resting his chin on the palm of his hand as his elbow rests on the brown countertop. He’s watching Ray walk out of his store again, without his number, he really wants to ask the other man, but anytime he tries to say it, he can’t get it out, and Ray makes the joke “Cat got your tongue?”  
He knows that he doesn’t mean it in a mean way, but it makes Joel even more irritated that he still hasn’t asked Ray for his number yet. It’s just a simple question, but anytime Joel builds up enough courage to ask Ray, his big brown eyes will look to the florist and it just makes him forget every word he is trying to say.

“I’m still trying to decide if I should laugh at you, or pity you.” He hears Geoff say as he tends the lilies.

The other man rolls his eyes “Shut up, Geoff. Just because you can ask out girls like it’s nothing doesn’t mean everyone else can.” Before looking out to the rest of the small flower shop, even though Ray is long gone.

“That is true, I was the one who got Ray’s name for you.” Geoff chuckles, Joel can practically hear the shit eating grin he is wearing as he snips the dead leaves and flowers from the plants.

Joel sighs and before he can counter what Geoff said with a snide comment, Burnie butts in and points out “Don’t bring it up, Geoff, you know how pissy Joel gets when you point out that he didn’t get Ray’s name, but you did.”

The dark haired florist sighed, hating his job a little more now. He wonders why he is still working at this small flower shop where most of it’s business is Valentine’s day and mother’s day, and the only other business if when people forget anniversaries, it’s funny when they forget to get their change before flying out the door, but whoever is at the cash just pockets it. This job is practically dead end, working with flowers all day won’t make him an actor, but every successful actor has to have shitty jobs to pay the rent before they are living in mansions in Beverly Hills. The only light in this job, besides the flowers is Ray who has been coming in more often to buy the freshest, red roses, Joel made sure they were perfect for his crush.   
The smile he always wears, and the thick glasses that frame his eyes perfectly, just make Joel smile as well, getting his cheeks tinted a bit red. It wasn’t just only looks that make Joel smile, he is friendly and knows a lot about the flowers he is buying.

“I hate both of you.” Joel grumbles, looking over to his heavily tattooed co-worker.

“You know, you could’ve just kept calling him ‘Nameless Cutie’.” Burnie shrugs as he waters the daffodils close to where Geoff is standing.

“When did I ever call him that?” Joel asks, arching his eyebrows.

Burnie chuckles in response “Before Geoff got his name.” Then looks to his aspiring actor co-worker with a shit eating grin that Joel could swear that if he didn’t get arrest and lose his job for beating up Burnie, he’d do it in a heart beat.

Burnie and him are close, so close that one time someone thought they were going out because they treated each other the way a couple who has been going out for a long time would be like, ever since then Burnie has been calling him more names. Burnie wants to be a director, to film his movie without the bullshit of the middle man between the director and the content, se he is writing his own film, which Joel will be starring in once Burnie has enough motivation to finish the script.

“You’re welcome, asshole.” Geoff responds as he puts the clippers down and picks up all the pieces to throw in the garbage.

“I’ll remember that when I get my Oscar.” Joel bites back.

Geoff throws the pieces in the garbage near the cash and as he walks back, he slaps a muddy gloved hand on Joel’s back and replies sarcastically “I’ll hold you to that.”

Joel grimaces at the feeling of the mud on the back of his uniform shirt. He knows he won’t have time to wash it out without it looking more like he is really sweaty than he already is till he gets home. He groans “I fucking hate you, Ramsey.”  
The actor isn’t too sure what geoff’s goals are for life, he was in the army, and now he is just taking everything day by day, his girlfriend Griffon comes by and Geoff gives her some snippets of daisies for her to take home. Joel doesn’t think anyone has a weaker spot for someone the way Geoff has it for Griffon.   
Joel looks to the clock on the far wall, above the varied colors of roses. There’s only another hour till they can lock up and leave. For the next hour, Joel knows what he’ll mind will be one.

-

Burnie said he’d lock up so every left as soon as they could, wanting to get home for a television show, or significant others. Joel had neither of those, he was just hoping that he could get the tail end of the daily pizza deal at the pizza place near his house, and maybe catch up on some shows on Netflix.  
As he walks home, under the still hot Texas sun, the muddy hand print now crusted onto his shirt, feeling weird against Joel’s back, he tries moving the shirt around to get rid of the uncomfortableness, but failing before he gets to the door. He thinks about Ray, and the roses he buys, the kind he buys, they aren’t yellow roses that symbolize joy or rare orange roses that represent passion, no, Ray buys the reddest of red roses, their color can be compared to blood under the right light, they meant love and romance. Nobody buys those for no reason, unless it’s for a significant other.  
This only adds to Joel thinking that Ray is straight, and would never go for a guy like him, let alone a guy all together.  
He groans as he gets to his apartment building, opening the door to the lobby.  
For crying out loud he lives in the same building as him, after bumping into him once on his way to work, but even then he was too tongue-tied to say anything other than ‘sorry’ before running off like a school girl.  
He goes to the elevator, clicking the button repeatedly till the bell goes off and the metal doors open, and he quickly gets in. As the doors slowly close, he lets out a groan, his mind fluttering with ideas of love, like he was in highschool, and no matter how many times he thinks of different scenarios about asking Ray out, if any of them were to happen, he would get tongue ties once again.

“Why does he have to be so cute.” Joel groans, as he looks to the tiled ceiling of the elevator.

-

Ray places the pot of roses onto the coffee table, brushing his hands free of the soil that has starting to cling to his fingers as he carried the pot all of the way home.  
He looks to the roses proudly, seeing how nice the red petals look under the lights of the living room, his coffee table doesn’t look the same without them. He thinks that may be because how many he has bought over the recent months, when they die it gives him a reason to go back to the flower shop and talk to the cashier by the name “Joel”, with his dark hair and smile that makes Ray’s heart skip a little bit.

“Will you stop staring at those flowers already?” Michael asks, crossing his arms and arching an eyebrow at his friend.

“Maybe when you stop staring at that boy from the coffee shop.” Ray chuckles, still looking at the roses, knowing fully well that his roommate can hear his grin.

Michael steps closer to his roommate and sits on the couch then responds “Atleast I’m going out with him, also his name is Gavin, he’s British, and he happily accepted my request.”

Ray turns to look at his friend and responds “A British twink is different than a mature florist.”

“Firstly, he isn’t a twink, and secondly I bet he makes dick jokes on the side.” Michael chuckles, resting his arm along the top of the couch.

The Puerto Rican ignores his ginger head friends before walking to the kitchen to get some water for the roses. He can hear Michael chuckle as Ray grabs a bottle of water from the fridge.

“Come on, Ray. When are you going to ask him out?” Michael asks, turning around on the couch to look at his friend.

Ray replies with a groan “It’s hard!”

Michael rolls his eyes and climbs over the couch to get to his friend. He gets to the kitchen, grabbing the doorframe and continues “Come on, Ray, what happened to the lady killer in high school.” He instantly regrets the words that come out of his mouth, and goes wide eyed and swallows hard.

Ray bites his bottom lip, thinking about high school and how much he cared about what other people thought instead of what he wanted for himself. He responds “You know why I was a ‘lady killer’, I’m not proud of that title.”

“Oh right, because of your dad and shit like that. Hey, at least he was pretty okay with you coming out.” Michael responds, feeling a bit guilty about calling him by that name.

“Yeah, a fucking fag meant everything was okay. A queer that wouldn’t amount to anything, meant he took it well.” Ray grumbles to himself, gripping the plastic bottle of water.

Michael catches a glimpse of Ray’s wrist, the tiny scars that little the tanned skin and remembers how much of a mess Ray was when he first moved in with the ginger, how scared he was of rejection by everyone since his own father rejected him, after he summoned up enough courage to tell him. Michael wishes he can knock some sense into his friend’s father.

“I’m sorry, Ray. Fuck, I forgot, I thought you got better and we could joke about it.” Michael rambles, wanting to hit himself right now for being so stupid. 

Ray holds back tears, knowing that Michael didn’t mean any harm by his words, the ginger was a joker and messed around with everyone, and the Puerto Rican told him from the start not to treat him like he’s made of glass. He assures “I.. It’s fine, you make jokes.” He pauses to look at his friend, showing that he is alright with a small smile “I promise, it’s just that term rubs me the wrong way.”

Michael moves away from the wall and assures “Think about it this way, I accept you, and you’re living with me, so fuck your old man for missing the best opportunity to hang out with the most caucasian Puerto Rican out there.” Seeing Ray’s smile grow a bit more, making him feel better. He goes over and throws an arm over his roommate, and Ray chuckles a bit.

“Is that why you get those roses, because of your mom?” Michael asks, pulling his friend closer.

Ray nods “She loved them, and it reminds me of her and that all of my family doesn’t hate me. Too bad she’s all the way back in New York, I’d love to see her again and show her that flower shop.”

Michael smiles “And maybe show her that cute guy behind the counter.”

Ray nudges his friend in the side, his chest not feeling as heavy with memories of how much of a mess he was. Michael was truly his best friend and he knows that they have each other’s back no matter what, even if Michael has a date with the guy from the coffee shop.  
“You’re a dick.” Ray chuckles.

“Well, you want some dick.” Michael chuckles, knowing that he isn’t going to mess up his words again. He knows sometimes words fly out of his mouth and he instantly feels guilty about it, but he’s glad that Ray bounces back much easier now, if he made that comment maybe three months ago, Ray would’ve locked himself in his room, and Michael would have to spend all night outside the door, his ear pressed up against the wood to make sure ray didn’t do anything that would end him up in the hospital, thankfully it has never had to come to that.

“Not as much as you.” Ray chuckles, getting out of Michael’s grip to go water the roses.

“Hey, at least I can ask them out.” Michael grin in response.

Ray goes to water the flowers, and untwists the cap of the bottle before slowly pouring the water in. He would ask Joel out, ask him out for coffee or a movie, but he’s afraid of being rejected and laughed out of the flower shop that he has grown to love. He likes how little Joel talks, and how his eyes hold interest when the younger male asks questions about the flowers in the store.  
He thinks Joel is cute and doesn’t want to ruin any prospect of a friendship they could have in the future because of a little crush that Ray has formed.

“I will eventually, hopefully.” Ray responds, putting the cap of the bottle back on, looking back to his roommate.

“I think you can, Ray, if you need some help with asking him out, I can always help.” Michael chuckles, winking at the younger male.

“Don’t get too cocky.” Ray responds with a slight chuckle.

Michael is really glad that Ray is getting better, he just hopes that this Joel guy doesn’t smash his heart into a million pieces because this time, he won’t have trouble giving the florist a piece of his mind while punching him repeatedly in the face.

-

The next morning Joel gets a call that Burnie has gotten sick from drinking too much and he needs to sleep off the hangover for a few more hours, so Joel is now responsible for opening the shop for the day.  
He sluggishly gets out of bed and gets ready, wishing he could’ve slept in for at least an hour more so he’d be a tad more awake than he already is.  
He gets ready, knowing where everything is even though his eyes aren’t fully open and sleepiness covers him like a warm blanket, trying to usher him back to bed.

“Fuck.” He groans as he slips on his running shoes, tying the laces before leaving his apartment, grabbing his keys before he exits.  
When he gets outside the sun is barely above the clouds, the air is still pretty cool and the dew still clings to the grass.  
He makes it to the flower shop in no time due to him living so close to it, he finds Geoff stands outside, pulling his jacket closer to him as he’s shivering.

“Why are you here so early?” Joel asks as he gets his keys out of his hoodie pocket, going to the door to unlock it.

“I was having trouble sleeping, and Burnie usually comes here early. I didn’t know you were showing up to open up this place.” Geoff replies, another shiver running through his body.

Burnie has mentioned Geoff’s sleep problems once or twice, that’s probably why the heavily tattooed co-worker is always on time, and has sleepy eyes. Nobody knows why Geoff can’t sleep, he’s never told anyone about it, it may just be insomnia that keeps him up during the night.  
Joel gets the door open and gets the metal cage around the front away from the entrance of the store.  
Him and Geoff get inside, turning on the lights before the tattooed employee is getting the small watering can from the back to start the early morning watering of the flowers.

“Hey, Geoff, you take the best care of the flowers, why is that?” Joel asks from behind the counter, as he starts counting the cash inside.

Geoff comes back from the back, puts the watering can on the brown counter before he explains “It reminds me of home, alright? Like before I was taking photos of the war, that kind of fucked me up for a while, and tending to the flowers in my parent’s garden helped me relax a bit, that nothing isn’t going to come out of the rose bushes and start shooting me. I want the flowers to be taken care of they’re just flowers, they’ve done nothing wrong.”

“That’s really deep actually.” Joel comments, slightly surprised by what Geoff has just said to him, it’s poetic in a way.

“Also Burnie gives me more money because the flowers have looked the best they have ever looked.” Geoff chuckles before taking his arms off the counter and grabs the watering can, heading to the liles for their daily watering.

 

Joel doesn’t get through ten minutes of silence before Geoff asks “So, how is Ray?”

“He hasn’t come in today, we're probably not going to see him till the roses die, and he comes back to buy some more. They’re probably for his girlfriend anyway.” Joel responds, looking to his friend.

“What makes you think that?” Geoff asks, looking to the flowers he is watering to make sure he doesn’t overflow the pot with water.

 

Joel sighs and rests his forearms on the counter, his hands dangling over the edge “He buys red roses, what are red roses symbols for? Love, romance and all of that other cheesy love stuff. He wouldn’t buy roses if he weren’t going out with someone.”

“Well, maybe if you asked him, maybe you’ll get an answer instead of making assumptions in your head. You need to get a date, and if it’s going to be anyone, it’s going to be him. The worse he’ll say is no, and you’ll get rejected by a kid like him, they’re a tons of other fish in the sea.” Geoff replies, trying to make his friend feel better, but also push him to just ask a goddamn simple question.

“Let’s just hope overfishing doesn’t become a problem.” Joel replies before looking out to the glass front door of the store.

-

“Why are we going, I already bought some yesterday.” Ray hastily explains as his roommate practically drags him back to the flower shop.

Michael stops and turns to his friend, looking the Puerto Rican dead in the eyes as he explains “I need flowers for my date tomorrow.”

“Why can’t you do it? They’ll think I’m a creep or something.” Ray argues.

“Please, Ray, I really trust your ability to pick up nice flowers, and you go there all the time, please.” Michael explains, putting his hands on Ray’s shoulders.

“Alright, only for you, and if they ask, they’re for you.” Ray responds, finally giving in to his roommates pressure.

Michael grins and lets go of Ray’s shoulders before he drags the other man to the flower shop that was just a bit down the road.

“I think you can ask him today.” Michael comments as they stop in front of the flower shop.

“I knew there was something fishy with this.” Ray groans, feeling like an idiot for falling for Michael’s cover story.

“Hey, I do actually need flowers and to be fair, I think that you and him would be nice together. If shit hits the fan, and he turns out to be married or straight, I’ll cancel my date and we’ll go the arcade and kill some monsters with that shooting game they just installed.” Michael assures, smiling at his friend.

Ray looks him for a moment, taking a deep breath before responding “Alright, thanks, Michael, I hope you keep your word.”

Michael nods “Of course, I may be an asshole, but I’m not a dick.” Before pulling out his wallet from his pocket and handing Ray twenty dollars.

“Isn’t being a dick and an asshole the same thing?” Ray asks as he takes the money.

“No, one if more worse than the other. Now go talk to him, he’s at cash, I can see him right now.” Michael responds, looking over Ray’s shoulder and to Joel who is standing behind the cash.

Ray starts to walk towards the front door, Michael giving him a slight shove so he’ll go in faster, before the younger male could enter the store, his friend gives him a thumbs up.  
The Puerto Rican takes a deep breath before opening the door, a ring of the bell can be heard and two eyes are locked on him. One being bright blue and the other being brown.

Geoff looks over to his co-worker and mumbles “Speak of the devil.” then adds in a louder tone “Hey, Joel, I need to get some fertilizer from the back room.” Before running off behind the counter and to the the back room.

Joel knows that’s a lie, but can’t stop the tattooed man from running off, his eyes are now on Ray’s, who is staring back at him.  
“Can I help you?” He asks, trying not to come off as pretentious.

Ray looks around, trying to now avoid Joel’s amazing eyes and responds “Nothing, really. Just for a friend.”

“Oh, like a girlfriend?” Joel asks, his cheeks growing bright pink when he realizes what he said.

The Puerto Rican’s eyes grow wide “No.. Not a girlfriend, more like a boyfriend… Fuck!” Realizing that he too fucked up.

“Oh so you’re going out with someone?” Joel asks, biting his bottom lip as he feels his heart start to break.  
Of course he’s taken, look at him.

Ray shakes his head “No, it’s for my friend who is a guy for his boyfriend. I’m single.”

Joel’s eyes light up and he says “Oh.. I just thought.. I just thought that you were taken because you seem pretty cool and the kind of guy who would have a date already. Also you buy those red roses all the time and they’re a symbol of love.”

The Puerto Rican walks up to the counter, looks to Joel with his big brown eyes that take Joel’s breath away. He chuckles as he shoves his hands into his pocket “I don’t have a boyfriend, unless you count my Xbox.”

“Well, your Xbox must be lucky.” Joel responds, afraid of coming off as an idiot or weird. He feels like he’s walking on very thin ice, and doesn’t want to fall into the icy, dark waters of rejection.

“Yes he is.” Ray chuckles as he rests his forearms on the brown counter “I would like to buy a dozen roses, like the ones you always sell me. I’ve always liked how well you you pick roses.” He smiles at Joel, whose cheeks are starting to grow red.

The way he smiles lights up the room, making Joel swallow hard, thinking about how can Ray look even more attractive with just a smile. He swallows again and responds “Of course, a dozen of the reddest roses, also thank you for such nice words, I try to.. You know do my job well.”

He gets from behind the counter and goes over to the roses, grabbing the clippers on the part of the counter closest to him. He bends over to look for the reddest of red roses, like he promised for Ray.

Ray can’t help it, he really can’t, with Joel bending over like that, he can’t help, but stare at his jean covered ass, slightly moving it as he moves around a bit to get a better reach of the flowers. Ray can’t take his eyes away because he’s only ever seen Joel from the waist up, never the waist down.

“Here you go, a dozen red roses.” Joel smiles as he stands back up.

Ray takes a step back and looks at Joel’s back, his cheeks feeling hot, like embers grazing his cheeks.  
Joel stands back up and turns around, carefully holding the roses in his hands, by the stems so he doesn’t damage the petals. The roses are red, very red, the kind of red that Joel promised, and the Puerto Rican is certain they are more red than his cheeks.  
Joel walks back to the counter, wrapping the roses in plastic and paper to make it look nice.

“They look beautiful.” Ray comments, looking to the florist and his handy work with wrapping flowers. He’s only ever bought potted roses that’ll last him over a month and a half, he’s never bought the fancy, done up flowers that only last a few days at best.

Joel still looking at what he is doing says to himself “Not as beautiful as you.”

“Wait, what? Excuse me?” Ray asks, wanting to make sure that his ears aren’t fucking with him, and he heard what he thought he heard.

“Uh.. Uh..Uh.. Nevermind, just nevermind… It’s fifteen seventy five.” Joel replies quickly, looking at the cash register, the bouquet of roses on the counter.

Ray gives Joel the twenty Michael gave him, and takes the roses from the counter. Joel doesn’t look at him, his eyes locked with the cash register, even when he gives Ray his change back, getting a quick feeling of Ray’s warm hand which makes him bite his bottom lip. He slides the receipt to the other man.  
The Puerto Rican look to the door, to see Michael perring in, his hands cupping the side of his face, near his eyes so he can block out the sun that is shining in. Ray can only wonder how long he has been like that, and how he hasn’t noticed his friend before. The ginger roommate grins at his friend, as a sign of reassurance. 

“Joel. Do you have a pen, I need it for a minute?” Ray asks, summoning all of his courage, he just needs to think about the best possible outcome of this situation, that he’ll get a call back from Joel. 

Joel looks to the brown counter, noticing small details in it. Hearing Ray’s question, he looks at the shelf in the counter, looking for a pen for Ray to use. He grabs the closest pen he can grab, it’s red in color, he quickly hands it to Ray, feeling his soft, warm skin for a moment, which makes the florist’s heart beat a little quicker.  
Ray looks to Joel, who looks at him for a quick moment before looking back at the counter. The other man smiles before he starts to write on the receipt.  
Joel runs his fingers through his dark hair, making it more messy. He wish he could bring himself to look at Ray, but he’s afraid of saying anything even more stupid. He just wants Ray to leave so he can wallow in sadness for the rest of the day before going home to do more wallowing.  
His eyes flicker to Ray, seeing him write on the small piece of paper. He can quite make out what it reads, but he hopes it’s not a drawn up restraining order.

“Here, you go, Joel. Also you are pretty beautiful.” Ray smiles as he hands Joel the receipt. Hoping that it makes the florist smile because he looks better with a smile on his face.  
Before Joel could open the receipt to read what is inside, Ray is almost outside the shop, about to open the door and make a swift exit.  
Joel opens the note and it reads “They say Red Roses represent passion, I didn’t know you were a red rose.” followed by the younger man’s number, and a poorly drawn rose.

 

“Holy fuck!” Joel cheers, throwing his arms up in the air, feeling his heart racing as he just got Ray’s number, after some many months of watching Ray go in and out of the store.

“What happened? Did he steal from the cash, because if he did, I don’t care if he’s your crush, I don’t want another chunk out of my paycheck.” Geoff asks as he comes from the backrooms.

Joel looks to his friend, and his wide grin and arms high in the air, and his hand clutching the receipt says it all, that it was worth for Geoff to hide out in the backrooms. 

Geoff grins back at his co-worker and asks “Do you want to grab some drinks during our lunch to celebrate?”

Joel chuckles, his cheeks still stained red with a mix of embarrassment and excitement “Of course everything you suggest involves a stop at the bar.”

-

Michael punches his friend in the arm again as he holds the roses in the other hand, which the arm for is wrapped around Ray’s shoulders. He grins at his friend “You did it! Took you fucking long enough. What made you come up with all that ballsiness? I’ve never seen you like this before, I’m so fucking proud.” 

“He compared me to roses, and you know that I love these red mother fuckers, and when he found out I was single, he looked a little too happy.” Ray smiles in response, hoping that Joel will call him soon.

“Does this mean we're going to be getting more roses because you’re going out with a fucking florist?” Michael asks, poking light fun at his roommate.

“Maybe, I hope I don’t get crappy clippings of flowers because of it.” Ray chuckles.

“Trust me, if he likes you, you’ll be getting grade fucking A roses. I should make room on the window sill.” Michael responds, feeling happy for his friend.

“Yeah, get rid of all of your shit.” Ray chuckles, feeling all fluttery on the inside, like some unleashed a million little butterflies in his body.

He couldn’t feel anymore amazing right now, all he can do now is wait, and seeing the look of Joel’s face as he walked out of the store, he knows that he’ll get the call soon.  
He looks to the red roses in Michael’s hand, and smiles at the thought of his little note, it was cheesy as hell, but if it gets him a better chance of Joel calling him, he’ll tell all the cheesy jokes in the world.

“Who would’ve thought that the symbol of fucking love would bring yout wo together.” Michael chuckles, nudging his friend in the side once more as they walk down the road together.


End file.
